He did not taste it himself, but asked if he could give it to his girlfriend to try.
He is keen to buy Maiyuu's bakery, but needs to make small extensions to the front of his shop first. He targets the lunchtime office-worker trade.
Wut, the owner, runs the eatery with a joint shareholder. They lease the place from Kor, a local property-owner who I have known since the days when we both drank at Mum's shop.
We spent the night chatting, mainly about his business, and the different ways of selling bakery, including fahk kai.
I do not have a business brain, and am still finding this concept hard to understand.
By the sounds of it, Maiyuu would bake every day, but if Wut could not sell it all, he would have the right to return the rest, or at least not pay for those he was unable to sell.
However, if a customer came along and wanted to place a bulk order herself, Wut would pass the order on to Maiyuu, who could get the extra business without Wut adding a margin.
That's all I can remember at the moment. The eatery was quiet last night, but Wut says it was his first day back in business since he closed for four days over New Year.
I went with my friend from work, farang C. We ordered several dishes from the menu, including sweet and sour fish, which farang C was as good as any he had tasted overseas.
Wut hires two chefs, who work in a poky kitchen making Thai and farang dishes which cost just 35 baht each.
As for Mum's forlorn shop at the head of the soi, no one drinks there any more, it seems.
When I walked past the place furtively yesterday, heading for Wut's eatery just inside the same street, it was empty.
Wut's place closed at 10pm. As we passed Mum's shop on our way home, it was again empty.
She does, however, get custom from motorcyclists.
Customers on motorcycles stop by at the rear of the shop, and order cigarettes. She passes the cigarettes to them, and they race off.
Thais like the convenience of being able to pull up on a bike, do their transaction, then tear away again.
One motorcyclist stopped in the middle of the road to ask for directions while we were sitting at Wut's shop.
Wut's eatery has been open just five months, but he is finding it hard to spread the word, as there is no local business association in the area.
'No one wants to take part in local product fares or promotions, because it's dog-eat-dog,' he said.
'Thais like buying to go...they cannot be bothered finding a place to park, or sitting in restaurants if they can just order off the street,' said Wirut.
Office workers are often on foot, which is good for Wut's business. They do not need to hop on the motorbike, or find a place to park.
Wut wants several different baking items a day, in various packaging and sizes, for those who eat at a table, and those who want to take away.
We have just bought an oven. I am not sure how many items Maiyuu can produce a day, and I told Wut that Maiyuu has not catered professionally nor sold his bakery to anyone before.
Still, they can always talk. When the changes to his shop are complete, probably some time this month, Wut says he will give Maiyuu a call.
"Maiyuu would bake to order, but if the shop could not sell it all in one day, the trader would have the right to return the goods, or at least not pay for those he was unable to sell."
ReplyDeleteI believe in biz lingo this is called Consignment. But it is kind of unusual to use on perishable products.
A good start nevertheless. Choke dee na.
Are you ready to turn your home into a commercial production kitchen? Maiyuu will have to make more items at a time to keep up. You will have to inve$t in more equipment (pans, bowls) and raw food supplies (big bags of flour, sugar, butter). Also the boxes and bags to transport them. Are you prepared to be delivery boy while he bakes? Even in the rain?
ReplyDeleteThings cannot go on the way they are. I think he is slowly going mad.
ReplyDeleteMaiyuu has yet to talk to the boss of the eatery. Let's see what happens after they have met and talked about what he is capable of producing each day, and for what price...even if he has to invest in extra 'production capacity' (pots, pans, bigger oven).
If the shop has the right to return unsold goods, then the shop will always over order as they stand to gain if all are sold & the downside risk is entirely with Maiyuu. So Maiyuu should decide how many are delivered, or the shop should pay for all that are ordered.
ReplyDeleteOf course if they are not paying for unsold goods, then all must be returned so you can ensure there is no cheating.
More important is agreeing a price that has an attractive profit margin.
Yes this does sound like a very "sketchy" way to sell food.
ReplyDeleteI am envious of Maiyuu to have this opportunity, though. I also LOVE to cook/bake but the hoops one must jump through around here to sell baked goods are just too much. Maybe someday...
Good luck with the idea though, I hope you work out something that works for all involved.
A Sugar, Kevo33, thank you for your advice.
ReplyDeleteThe owner of the eatery seems very keen to get Maiyuu baking for him...perhaps because he has nothing to lose, as you say.
However, he is also keen to know what price Maiyuu will strike, so all is not lost.
He possibly won't have to bake much, as he will compete for space with sushi, coffee and packed fruit (all the products which the owner hopes to sell in front of his shop).